The Lunar Nodes of the Cardinal Cross

by Robert P. Blaschke

At the Midwest Astrology Conference in Cleveland two weeks ago, this correspondent presented a lecture entitled The Lunar Nodes on the Cardinal Cross. The lecture handouts can be found here. Between 10 June and 22 June of this year the North Node will occupy 0 degrees of Aries, the most powerful manifestation degree of the Zodiac. It would be pertinent now, as this historical event draws near, to review previous occurrences of this phenomenon. As one can see, some very significant world events and important beginnings took place at these times, with these events shaping history for the next two decades and beyond. The length of time of 0 degrees of Aries being occupied by the North Node can vary from six days to 2 1/2 months.

What is most significant about the North Node reaching 0 degrees of Aries this year is that it occurs during a violent conjunction of the malefics, Mars and Saturn, and that it will also be in effect at the Cancer Ingress. This Summer Ingress chart for the USA looks quite imposing: it has a Fixed Grand Cross in angular houses, with the Moon in application by square or opposition to the other four bodies. The exact Mars-Saturn conjunction occurs on 18 June at 06:02:41 GMT in 08 Leo 45, closely conjunct the Ascendant of George W. Bush and this conjunction is also angular in that USA Cancer Ingress. This union of the malefics is also a Super Conjunction, as Mars and Saturn are parallel when they reach alignment by longitude. Mars rules the MC in the USA Cancer Ingress, symbolizing the leader of the country. It is a distinct possibility that the USA will lose Mr Bush to Tecumseh's Curse at this time.

There is additionally a violent Yod with an apex Pluto that forms at the Summer Ingress. The trigger point of the Yod is 25 Gemini 58 (near midpoint of Mercury-Venus sextile), and triggers dates by the transit Moon during the Summer Quarter are:
 

The Jupiter-Saturn second waxing square perfects June 22nd, the day after the Cancer Ingress and global economic impact from startling world events should be expected at this time. The last Mars-Saturn conjunction occurred on 25 May 2004 @ 11 Cancer 18 and 1000 people were killed by floods in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic. During that last Mars-Saturn conjunction, at the French Open, the longest tennis match in the history of the sport occurred (6 hrs; 33 min).

This dangerous window of time for Mr Bush extends into early July as well, as on the 4th his progressed Moon forms an exact conjunction with his natal South Node in 20 Sagittarius 35. This once-in-27.3-year progression has a karmic signature of endings and losses, and coming as it does with Mr Bush also having progressed Mars conjoining his natal Moon, some death in his immediate family is possible. On that very day of the South Node conjunction by his progressed Moon, Mars is in 18 Leo, the August 1999 Grand Cross Solar Eclipse degree. chart

As this correspondent has written in previous newsletters over the last five years, each time that this degree is transited important events relating to the War on Islamic Terrorism occur. For a recap of these events, see page 2 of the MAC lecture handouts. When Saturn reaches this degree and conjoins the 9/11 chart ruler, Venus, in 18 Leo 24 on 4 September 2006, this writer has predicted that Osama bin Laden will be captured or killed.

The other major astrological event during the Summer of 2006 is the USA progressed Mars stationing retrograde on July 20th for the first time in American history. Ruler of the Sibly chart IC and 12th house, this progressed stationary Mars will produce more racial tensions and riots within the U.S. prison population, more scandals within philanthropic organizations, such as the Red Cross, and further turmoil within American spy agencies, such as the abrupt resignation today of the CIA director, Porter Goss, all 12th house domains in Mundane Astrology. As the 4th house rules land values, real estate and the opposition party in government, this IC ruler stationing retrograde should also bring reversals in both the housing market and the political fortunes of the Democratic Party. With the USA Libra Ingress chart having a 4th house Sun later in the year, Democrats should once again become the majority party in the House of Representatives this November. chart
 

After a poor showing by his Labour Party in local elections on May 4th, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair made changes to his ministerial team today. Charles Clarke, the embattled Home Secretary who failed to deport over 1000 foreigners after they had finished prison sentences, was replaced by John Reid, the former defense secretary. Jack Straw was replaced as Foreign Secretary by Margaret Beckett, previously the head of the Department for Environment and Agriculture. Combined with the strong showing by the opposition Conservative party, led now by the young David Cameron, many British pundits are again calling for Mr Blair to resign as Prime Minister and turn over power to Gordon Brown, his Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Saturn is now returning to form the third and final conjunction to Mr Blair's natal South Node in 06 Leo 54 on May 30th. This transit has been in effect since September of last year and Mr Blair has been on the political ropes for many months. With his progressed Venus, ruling an intercepted Taurus in the 12th house of hidden enemies, also applying to a square with his natal Pluto, perfecting on July 7th, he is captain of a Labour Party ship with a crew stirring for a mutiny. With a progressed Ascendant now in nearly partile square with Neptune, then moving into a square with Saturn, Mr Blair was surrounded by the scandals and incompetence of his team in government, and their foolishness has come close to loosening his grip on power.

It would be premature to write his political epitaph, however. Mr Blair is a born fighter with his ruler, Mercury, in Aries. With his superior intelligence, shown by a sextile from the Sun to Uranus, exact to 06 minutes of arc, and his ability to reinvent himself with that Taurus Sun in square to Pluto, he will depart office at his own time and on his own terms. His popularity will become regenerated this Fall when his progressed Moon culminates on his MC on October 5th. It is the opinion of this correspondent that Mr Blair will abruptly resign as Prime Minister on 8 May 2007 when Uranus transits his progressed MC for the first of five times. chart British astrologers will be able to observe this transit closely next year and thus more precisely rectify Mr Blair's angles and his 6:10 AM time of birth.

Tony Blair turns 53 tomorrow and his Solar Return is a fitting celestial document for a triumphant final year in office. chart The MC ruler, Mars, applies to trines with both Jupiter and Uranus, thus guaranteeing success. With a Sun-Jupiter opposition at the spine of a Water Grand Trine and Kite, Mr Blair will have to face some legal problems caused by others during the coming year. The Moon's first and only applying aspect is a trine to Pluto; he will rise out of the apparent ashes of his early demise and renew his grip on power again and again regardless of the political storms brewing about him. With Capricorn 25 rising, and its degree symbol from Charubel a testimony to his fate, he will fare well until May 2007 and resign honorably.
 

by Rboert P. Blaschke - All Rights Reserved